Magistrates; appointment and supervision. Gives supervisory control over the magistrate system to the chief circuit court judge and the Committee on District Courts and abolishes magisterial regions. Under current law, the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia exercises such authority with a provision for consultation with the chief judges of the circuit courts in the region where the appointment is made.

Passing certain stopped vehicles; motorcycles. Authorizes the operator of a two-wheeled motorcycle to pass another vehicle that is stopped in the same lane or between lanes, provided that the operator is on a divided highway with at least two lanes of travel in each direction that has a speed limit that does not exceed 45 miles per hour, such motorcycle does not exceed a speed of 15 miles per hour, and the operator may execute such passing safely.

Administrative Process Act; Department of Wildlife Resources; guidance documents; endangered species. Directs that certain guidance documents developed and used by the Department of Wildlife Resources relating to threatened and endangered species shall expire on December 31, 2023, unless such documents are filed for publication with the Virginia Registrar of Regulations and made available for public comment pursuant to the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) by November 1, 2023. Administrative Process Act; Department of Wildlife Resources; guidance documents; endangered species. Directs that certain guidance documents developed and used by the Department of Wildlife Resources relating to threatened and endangered species shall expire on December 31, 2023, unless such documents are filed for publication with the Virginia Registrar of Regulations and made available for public comment pursuant to the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) by November 1, 2023.

Individual income tax; distribution of revenues; local school construction. Requires distribution of five percent of the individual income tax revenues collected from residents of a locality to be distributed to that locality. The bill requires such funds to be used for school construction or renovation purposes and to be repaid to the state if used for any other purpose. The bill provides that a locality shall be required to maintain its level of expenditure for public school purposes as a condition of receiving the income tax revenues; however, a locality may reduce its level of expenditure to account for a loss of revenues resulting from a reduction in machinery and tools taxes.

Employment discrimination; employee notification of federal and state statute of limitations. Requires an employer who receives an employee complaint alleging sexual assault, harassment, or any other form of discrimination for which the employee may seek enforcement by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Office of the Attorney General to notify such employee that a charge may be filed with the EEOC or the Office of the Attorney General within 300 days after the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice occurred. The bill also requires an employer to provide this information as part of any new employee training provided at the commencement of employment or anti-discrimination training provided to an employee.

Elections administration; State Board of Elections duties; required election and voter participation information on the Internet. Requires the State Board of Elections to provide information for voters on its website, including (i) the role of and contact information for the State Board and local electoral boards; (ii) how and where to register to vote; (iii) how and where to vote, including information about absentee voting, polling hours, Virginia's voter identification requirements and acceptable forms of identification, the casting of ballots, and a means for voters to find their polling place; and (iv) any laws, regulations, policies, or forms pertaining to any of the information in (i), (ii), and (iii). The website must also allow a voter to review any information about himself that is kept in the statewide voter registration database. The bill also requires that (a) at a minimum, the State Board provide a version of its website in which all required parts are translated into any language that is spoken by a language minority group; (b) any page that is linked to a translated page shall also be translated; and (c) all translated portions of the website be reviewed for accuracy, with appropriate updates made prior to the start of early voting for every primary and general election held in Virginia.

Civil actions; standards governing consolidation and transfer; allocation of attorney fees. Specifies that, in a combined civil action, the court may allocate attorney fees to separate issues into common questions that require treatment on a consolidated basis and individual cases that do not. Current law allows the court to allocate fees but does not specify attorney fees. The bill contains technical amendments.

Charitable gaming; exemptions from certain requirements for specified organizations. Requires qualified organizations that reasonably expect, on the basis of prior charitable gaming annual results or any other quantifiable method, to realize gross receipts of $40,000 or less from all charitable gaming other than raffles, conducted on a total of no more than seven days per calendar year, to register with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (the Department) on a form prescribed by the Department. Such form shall only require the organization to provide (i) proof of the organization's nonprofit status; (ii) contact information for the chief executive officer of the organization or his designee; (iii) the location, dates, and times of any expected charitable gaming activity; (iv) a description of the general nature of the anticipated charitable gaming activity; and (v) a signed attestation that the organization (a) does not reasonably expect to realize more than $40,000 in gross receipts on a total of no more than seven days per calendar year for the charitable gaming activities listed on the registration form, (b) understands that should the organization exceed the $40,000 threshold, it will be required to file a report of its receipts and disbursements, and (c) understands it shall be required to comply with the law and Department regulations governing charitable gaming. Under current law, any such organization is required to apply for a permit with the Department before conducting any charitable gaming. Charitable gaming; exemptions from certain requirements for specified organizations. Requires qualified organizations that reasonably expect, on the basis of prior charitable gaming annual results or any other quantifiable method, to realize gross receipts of $40,000 or less from all charitable gaming other than raffles, conducted on a total of no more than seven days per calendar year, to register with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (the Department) on a form prescribed by the Department. Such form shall only require the organization to provide (i) proof of the organization's nonprofit status; (ii) contact information for the chief executive officer of the organization or his designee; (iii) the location, dates, and times of any expected charitable gaming activity; (iv) a description of the general nature of the anticipated charitable gaming activity; and (v) a signed attestation that the organization (a) does not reasonably expect to realize more than $40,000 in gross receipts on a total of no more than seven days per calendar year for the charitable gaming activities listed on the registration form, (b) understands that should the organization exceed the $40,000 threshold, it will be required to file a report of its receipts and disbursements, and (c) understands it shall be required to comply with the law and Department regulations governing charitable gaming. Under current law, any such organization is required to apply for a permit with the Department before conducting any charitable gaming. The bill also provides that any qualified organization may, as part of its annual fundraising event, sell instant bingo, pull tabs, or seal cards provided that (1) any such instant bingo, pull tabs, or seal cards are dispensed by mechanical equipment only; (2) the sale of the same is limited to a single event of no more than seven days per calendar year; (3) any such event is open to the public; and (4) no such organization realizes actual gross receipts of more than $40,000 from the conduct of all charitable gaming other than raffles on a total of no more than seven days per calendar year. Under current law, only athletic associations, booster clubs, or band booster clubs may, as part of their annual fundraising event, sell instant bingo, pull tabs, or seal cards. Finally, the bill prohibits the Department from requiring a qualified organization that realizes annual gross receipts of $40,000 or less to file a report of its receipts and disbursements.

Information Technology Access Act. Makes numerous organizational changes to the Information Technology Access Act. The bill defines "information and communications technology" that is used to promote digital accessibility, also defined in the bill, for all persons with disabilities. The bill requires the head of each covered entity, defined in the bill, to designate an employee to serve as such covered entity's digital accessibility coordinator and to be responsible for developing and implementing such covered entity's digital accessibility policy and report. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2024.

Elections; campaign finance; contribution limits; civil penalty. Establishes contribution limits from any individual to any candidate campaign committee, political action committee, and political party committee and from any political action committee or political party committee to any campaign committee. The bill provides that any candidate, candidate campaign committee, political action committee, political party committee, or contributor that knowingly violates the contributions limits established by the bill is subject to a civil penalty of up to two times the amount by which the contribution exceeds the limit. The bill prohibits any person that is not an individual from making any contribution to any candidate for elected office.

Persons other than ministers who may perform rites of marriage; bond requirement. Allows the court to waive the $500 bond required to be entered into prior to a person celebrating the rites of marriage if such person qualifies for in forma pauperis status. Persons other than ministers who may perform rites of marriage; bond requirement. Allows the court to waive the $500 bond required to be entered into prior to a person celebrating the rites of marriage if such person qualifies for in forma pauperis status.

Parole Board; eligibility determinations; reports. Removes provisions that exempted from the mandatory disclosure provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act the records of the Parole Board. The bill requires the Board to (i) adopt rules regarding parole eligibility as set forth in the bill; (ii) publish the statement of actions taken by the Board by the fifteenth day of each month; (iii) include in such statement individualized reasons for the granting or denial of parole and the vote of each member; (iv) conduct final deliberations and votes on parole decisions at public meetings; (v) publish an annual report that summarizes actions taken by the Board during the prior year; and (vi) provide a prisoner or his attorney with all information, other than the personal information of the victim, gathered by the Board during an investigation, provided that such information shall not be further disclosed, reproduced, copied, or disseminated. Parole Board; eligibility determinations; reports. Removes provisions that exempted from the mandatory disclosure provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act the records of the Parole Board. The bill requires the Board to (i) adopt rules regarding parole eligibility as set forth in the bill; (ii) publish the statement of actions taken by the Board by the fifteenth day of each month; (iii) include in such statement individualized reasons for the granting or denial of parole and the vote of each member; (iv) conduct final deliberations and votes on parole decisions at public meetings; (v) publish an annual report that summarizes actions taken by the Board during the prior year; and (vi) provide a prisoner or his attorney with all information, other than the personal information of the victim, gathered by the Board during an investigation, provided that such information shall not be further disclosed, reproduced, copied, or disseminated. The bill provides that final discharges may be issued by the Board only upon approval by a majority of Board members and requires the Board to publish an annual report regarding such final discharges, with items specified in the bill. The bill also requires the Board, prior to making any decision to grant discretionary parole to an inmate, to have discussed and debated such decision at a meeting at which a majority of the Board members were present. The bill requires, in cases in which the Board grants discretionary parole to an inmate, each Board member to identify his reasoning for such decision at the time such member's vote is cast. The bill requires that parole review hearings include a live interview of the prisoner, which may be conducted in person or by videoconference or telephone, and, absent imminent death or other extraordinary circumstances, prohibits the Board from granting parole to any prisoner who has not received a live interview within the prior calendar year. The bill also allows the victim of the crime for which the prisoner is incarcerated to present testimony to the Board by virtual means. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2024.

Constitutional amendment (first reference); real property tax exemption; surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty. Expands the current tax exemption for real property available to the surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action to the surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty with a Line of Duty determination from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Professions and occupations; proof of identity. Replaces the requirement for proof of citizenship to obtain a license, certificate, registration, or other authorization issued by the Commonwealth to engage in a business, trade, profession, or occupation, except for an application with the Department of Health Professions, with a requirement to provide proof of identity that includes a government-issued identification card or driver's license, or other photo identification, along with documentation of the applicant's current address. Under current law, an application must include either a social security number or a control number issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

State Corporation Commission; renewable energy portfolio standard requirements; report. Provides that the State Corporation Commission may extend certain renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) requirement timelines if it finds compliance with such requirements would threaten the reliability or security of electric service to customers. In any proceeding by an investor-owned utility in constructing or acquiring new generation resources, the bill requires the Commission to consider the ratepayer impact of such resources compared with alternatives that are not otherwise RPS-eligible. The bill requires the Commission to submit an annual report with recommendations to improve energy reliability, reduce electricity rates, meet forecasted energy needs, and incorporate available and emerging generation technologies. State Corporation Commission; renewable energy portfolio standard requirements; report. Provides that the State Corporation Commission may extend certain renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) requirement timelines if it finds compliance with such requirements would threaten the reliability or security of electric service to customers. In any proceeding by an investor-owned utility in constructing or acquiring new generation resources, the bill requires the Commission to consider the ratepayer impact of such resources compared with alternatives that are not otherwise RPS-eligible. The bill requires the Commission to submit an annual report with recommendations to improve energy reliability, reduce electricity rates, meet forecasted energy needs, and incorporate available and emerging generation technologies.